St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-05

as likely to make his settlement and his
home upon the one as upon the other.
When the survey is made, IL that settler
is found located within the primary
limits of grant upon an odd section, or
any portion of one, he loses the land,
because it Is granted to the company.
The same trouble would occur within
the indemnity limits so long as the
withdrawal thereof stood, for then I'M
der the law the rights of subsequent
settlers were subordinate to those of
cent action of this department in revOk-
ing the indemnity Withdrawals, whilst
the actual settlers will be safe
in locating upon unclaimed
lands within those limits, the
companies most probably will be con-
slderably curtailed in the amount of
lands from which they may select in
demnity for losses within the granted
limits, which losses cannot be aScer-
tanned until the surveys separate the
odd from the even sections.
In view, therefore, of the general inter
ests of the public, those of the settlers
and of the railroad companies, and with
all especial view to the speedy adjust
ment of the various land grants in
obedience to the mandate of congress,
the appropriation for these surveys
should be fully adequate to the results
contemplated.
L have above Endorsed the recon-
mendatiOn of the commissioner for
100000, but beg to urge the appropri-
alton of 100000 not asked for by him,
to be specially devoted to the survey Of
lands within the granted and indemnity
limits of the different land-grant rail
roads. There are lands along the lines
of all of the three great routes to the
Pacific which are unsurveyed. The
roads are completed. The country
through which these roads pass has
been mostly settled by an industrious
population who are unable TO obtain
title to the unsuryeyed lands. whether
the same belong to the government or
to the railroad company. So long as
these lands remain unsurveyed it is
impossible to adjust the land
grants, to ascertain what are the
losses of the corporations within
the primary limits. and to what indem-
fusion and many hardships have re-
suited for the want of the necessary APP
preparations for the survey of the lands
along the lines of said roads.
1t is manifest that it was the intention
of congress i'll making the grants that
the survey should keep pace with the
construction of the roads, making it
practicable to adjust the grants as the
roads progress. 1t is now urged that
congress afford remedy for these.
lOng-standing evils by appropTiating
the sum asked to be devoted specially
to the survey Of,the land referred to.
THE PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC TIMBER.
The vital necessity for legislation
looking to the preservation of the tim
Der resources of the country becomes
more urgent every year. The annual
loss to the government by the destruc-
ton of timber by fire alone is estimated
at s7,000,000 To this should be added
the more important but secondary loss
which follows the destruction of the
timber by floods, land slides, climatic
changes of permanent character, and
the violations of the law by depredators
upon the timber on public lands.
| think legislation is needed which
would look to the preservation of the
natural forest lands at the headwaters
of navigable rivers, and also a method
of putting within the reach of settlers a
legal means of providing them with
timber for building their homes, fuel,
and other domestic purposes.
do not here undertake to formulate
the details of the scheme suggested. If
it were desirable | can do so. 1t would
embrace, with but few changes. the
salient features outlined in my last an
nual report.